Mondragon to Vaison La Romain

Mondragon to Vaison la Romaine, via the route touristique de vin Cotes de Rhone Villages.
30 miles

If yesterday was nerve-wracking, today was magical. We woke to blue skies and the temperature in the mid-twenties. Neither of us was in much of a mood to rush about, so it was after 11.00am by the time we left Mondragon. The plan was to wend our way to Bollene, then follow the route towards Mont Ventoux through some seriously famous wine villages - Caraigne, Sablet, Serignan, Rasteau.

A couple of weeks ago I happened to come across an article on Transcendental Meditation. What it said was that you did not need to shave your head, take to wearing yellow robes and a seriously skimpy loin cloth. In fact just adopting a simple repetitive phrase as your mantra, and finding a quiet place to repeat it silently to yourself for five minutes every day could have very positive effects on your mental well- being. Well I know what my mantra would be - Cairainne Sablet, Serignan, Rasteau......

By the time we reached the wine villages it was almost lunchtime, so we only managed to visit two Cave Cooperatives, in Cairanne and Rasteau. We bought a couple of mid range bottles of red in each - at about €7.00 - posh by our standards. However, what we also bought were two 5 litre wine boxes of AC Cotes de Rhone Villages, to save us from being stuck with a whole month of Crianza and  Rioja later on in Spain. Not that I mind them, it's just they tend to give me a headache, and it's nice to have choice.

Cotes de Rhone Villages

Before we left, this is what I thought it would be like...and it is!

The Cave Cooperative at Carraigne

Basically, what the Greek inspired graphic on the warehouse is saying is... we've been making wines here for 2000 years - so there!

Next up, Rasteau, whose big reds can get to 15 percent, yet still retain their complexity - the lady in the Cave's explanation, "it's simple, our wine is sunshine, bottled."

Not your average box of plonk...in storage for Spain.

Sablet looking glorious amongst its vineyards

Autumn afternoon - blue hills, russet touched vine leaves.

A well named van......

We have never explored this corner of Provence before where the broad alluvial plain of the Rhone gives way to the foothills of Mount Ventoux.  Words don't quite do justice as to how beautiful it looked today under the golden glow of the October sun, with  the vines occasionally tinged red as their foliage turned. The last of the harvest was being gathered in. Little tractors pulling weighty trailers full of freshly picked grapes trundled towards the Cave Cooperatives. You sense the ancient nature of this humane landscape, a cornucopia since Gallo-roman times. It is a hopeful place, a happy plot under a bountiful sun. We passed a vineyard, it was called  'Domain de Nymphe', you could almost believe it!  It is difficult to maintain any kind of hard-edged northern grip, the spirit of the place invites the fanciful and appeals to the romantic in you. I find it irresistible.

Vaison La Romain

We stopped overnight in the aire at Vaison le Romain. As we arrived early we had plenty of time to explore the place. Its setting is spectacular, straddling a gorge. The medieval 'village perche' occupies one side of the chasm, the newer town the other, though newer should be used with care as the 'modern' town is built upon the ruins of a substantial Roman settlement. A single span Roman bridge connects the two parts of the town. The remains of the Roman Main Street and the amphitheatre occupy a substantial archeological park on the edge of the main town.

Tree lined square

Roman Bridge

Mont Ventoux in background

Touristy shops

Gill checks out the facts

The archaeological park

Great aire - on the edge of town with a  view of Mont Ventoux

The aire is well maintained, and the town no more than a five minute stroll away. You get a good view of Mount Ventoux into the bargain It is more expensive than the guidebooks state. At €10 per night it's not so different to off-season ASCII campsite tariffs, yet has none of their additional facilities. Still, for convenience and the view it is worthwhile.

We spent this evening mulling over map and guidebooks. The weather forecast for the Cassis and  Marseille area looks a bit iffy, should we go anyway, or head westwards into Languedoc which has a sunnier forecast?